South Korea launches new bid to guide crowd-pulling shark to sea / Photo: Jung Yeon-je - AFP/File
-
In the Mexican town that makes emblematic Day of the Dead garlands
-
Judge orders Meta to pay $25 bn to New Mexico in Cambridge Analytica case
-
Canadian publisher says novelist Orelien used AI to write novel
-
OpenAI says its AI agents disabled their own safety monitors
-
UN issues call to arms to combat off-the-charts El Nino
-
France's Macron lands in Riyadh on surprise 'solidarity' visit
-
South Africa eases fuel pain as growth slows
-
Nvidia's Huang urges Europe to go all in on AI
-
Five things to know as French bond yield tops 5%
-
Impacts of UK's new North Sea gas drilling
-
France's tourism sector worried about impact of riots
-
Indonesia leader hits out at market downgrade warning
-
South Korea guides crowd-pulling shark out of canal
-
British Museum sells second set of Bayeux exhibition tickets
-
Australian lawmaker loses both legs after 'targeted' attack
-
Carrefour shares plunge after profit warning on French protests
-
Rising UK inflation, debt knocks govt ahead of budget
-
South Korea launches new bid to guide crowd-pulling shark to sea
-
As actors get more physical, Bollywood embraces intimacy coordinators
-
Asian stocks rally as tech firms enjoy bounce ahead of key earnings
-
Man allegedly behind 'targeted' attack on Australian lawmaker appears in court
-
Musk backs SpaceX-Tesla merger as rocket firm turns profit
-
Musk says backs SpaceX-Tesla merger as rocket firm turns profit
-
US regulators certify Boeing 737 MAX 10 after delays
South Korea launches new bid to guide crowd-pulling shark to sea
South Korean authorities began a new attempt Wednesday to coax a shark-turned-viral sensation back to sea, with falling temperatures in the Busan canal where it is stranded raising concerns for its survival.
The dusky shark -- affectionately nicknamed "Bukhangi" by fans -- was spotted last month in an artificial waterway in the southeastern port city, with climate activists linking its appearance to climate change.
The three-metre shark, a species typically found in tropical climates, has since amassed a huge following, drawing more than 1.6 million peopleto the Busan canal for a glimpse in person -- bringing an unexpected boon to the local economy.
South Korean authorities twice tried unsuccessfully to steer Bukhangi back to sea -- using water jets and then nets -- before launching a third attempt Wednesday as the water grows colder.
"The operation began at 10 am this morning, and we are not entirely sure when it's going to end -- given our previous attempts were not successful," an oceans ministry official told AFP.
Officials initially opted to wait for the shark to leave on its own, but growing overall concerns for its well-being prompted a third attempt, she added.
In a separate statement, the ministry said the limited water depth in the artificial waterway also prompted authorities to decide to launch their third attempt.
Busan authorities livestreamed the operation as curious onlookers gathered along the canal for another glimpse of the shark.
For Wednesday's operation, authorities fixed nets to floating pontoons, to be moved gradually as the shark heads towards the open sea.
Once it passes, the nets will block its return to the waterway, they said.
The shark has also been celebrated for its unexpected boost to the local economy, with Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo thanking it for generating publicity he said would otherwise have cost "trillions".
But environmental groups say the shark's appearance should be seen as a warning of the climate crisis, rather than a spectacle or economic boost.
They link its arrival to warming seas, saying rising temperatures are pushing warm-water fish northward -- and subtropical sharks in pursuit.
C.Smith--CPN
